The white stuff, thankfully, is taking another shot at the Colorado mountains Monday, with 4 to 16 inches expected from Aspen to Steamboat Springs.

The National Weather Service said this afternoon that two fast-moving Pacific storms will hit the state from different directions between midnight Sunday and midnight Monday.

The first wave of cold and moisture rolls in overnight from the desert southwest, and the counter-punch arrives Monday afternoon from the northwest “bringing a quick burst of snow mainly to the northern and central mountains and another surge of colder air,” with lows from the single digits to minus-5 in the mountains, according to the National Weather Service.

Driving will be a pain, with wind gusts up to 50 mph in some areas, but the snow is badly needed. The basins of the Gunnison, Colorado, Yampa and White rivers — the state’s belt of ski resorts — is weathering dismal snowpacks between 56 and 58 percent of their 30-year averages.

Denver is doing just fine on snow. The city typically receives 7 inches in January. Through Sunday, roughly the half-way point, the city had received 4.1 inches, according to the National Weather Service.

The snow that fills most reservoirs and feeds the state’s vital skiing, rafting, fishing and agriculture industries takes place in the mountains, however.

Monday’s storms aren’t expected to deliver much snow to Denver. The city has a 20 percent chance of snow from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday. The metro region should see only a passing shower or two, and not much accumulation, forecasters said this evening.

Denver is expected to have a high temperature of 37 degrees Monday, after topping out at 56 this afternoon. Tuesday, temperatures might reach only 38 degrees, before rebounding into the mid-50s on Wednesday.

Sunny, warm weather is forecast for the city into the weekend, before the next chance of snow, a slight one, Saturday night, the National Weather Service says.

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